Ireland's contract

[Pete3206]

I think he will be given a free this summer for someone to take him off our hands. Not made the squad since Jan says it all.

Who on earth would have him?

[PeterWithesShin]

He's the one player I think we'll struggle to shift. Maybe some rich overseas club would take him, but I don't hold my breath.

[ozzjim]

I am hoping MLS clubs come in, there was interest before from New York.

If not maybe Hull on a free, Bruce might fancy a bit of flair.

Can we get Mark Hughes a job and send him there?

[Tucson Villain]

He was linked with some MLS sides before, maybe we can have a whip-round for his flight.

[neo_Villan]

I see what people are say

The Bradford game was a last-chance it seems looking at it now. A bold and brave decision by Lambert...which utterly failed sadly. I still maintain that signing Ireland whilst we had no manager was the worst decision ever made under the Lerner regime. Yes, even worse then THAT decision!

I agree, but that's because I didn't want him in the first place. But plenty were very happy when he signed, I remember more than saying we had the better end of the deal, and that we'd got such a good deal that we'd mugged City blind. So hard to say it was a terrible decision.

I see what you are saying but you don't need hindsight to know that signing players when there is no manager in place is a bad idea. I thought it at the time and so it has proved.

[Toronto Villa]

The Bradford game was a last-chance it seems looking at it now. A bold and brave decision by Lambert...which utterly failed sadly. I still maintain that signing Ireland whilst we had no manager was the worst decision ever made under the Lerner regime. Yes, even worse then THAT decision!

I would say in hindsight probably, essentially 8 million in fee off the Milner money, plus 3.5 million a season in wages, for 4 seasons. 22 million ish.

The Given, NZogbia, Hutton, Jenas, McLeish 12 months might just run it very close though in terms of cash being pissed down the drain like a drunk without control.

There are loads of examples of us burning money over the last few years, sadly, and they're all extremely depressing.

People too often just look at the transfer fee and don't think about the enormous cost of having some of these wasters on our books. Ireland is a particularly depressing example.

If we have had to go back to "year zero"squad-wise this season, then you don't have to scout around too hard for examples of why this has been necessary.

As much as we grind the numbers long into the night and wake up in cold sweats, I imagine Randy has too over what he's doled out since 2006, and what he has to show for it. He likely rocks back and forth in a corner of a dark room repeating "what the fuck have I done?" as he reels off to himself transfers and management mistake, one after another. The direction the club has taken in the past 12 months is all about getting things back to a point where there is complete transparency and control, is some sort of plan that isn't made up as you go along and is sustainable. As painful and dangerous as it has often been it is understandable.

[Matt C]

MLS is a good call Ozzjim, hopefully one of the clubs here will take a chance on him because I can't imagine anyone in England (who can afford him) touching him.

[Jarpie]

If we can't get him sold, loaning out is the second best option with half the wages paid.

[TopDeck113]

I always maintained that we should never have signed him, at least not without a manager in post who wanted him.  Citeh mugged us: they took one of our most consistent performers and managed to palm us off with a prima donna with a track record of one decent season in his professional career, yet every other club they were dealing with was successful adding millions to the transfer fee they asked.  The fact that most of their fans that I know were sadder when Dunne joined us perhaps says it all. It also says a lot for the negotiating skills of those at the top of the club.   If we were to pay up the rest of his contract and show him the door this summer, it won't be a moment too soon.

[mattjpa]

Wasn't he fans player of the year last year? I'm sure there is a little bit of revisionism being displayed by some parties in here. Or maybe that is simply a good marker of how low we had fallen

[Edvard Remberg]

Lesson - Never sign a player that has just been on a stupid wages contract - (there are not many that perform after going down pay-check-wise)

[Can Gana Be Bettered!?!?]

Potentially best footballer at the club. Definitely the biggest twat at the club. No more chances so get rid as soon as possible.

[john e]

The Bradford game was a last-chance it seems looking at it now. A bold and brave decision by Lambert...which utterly failed sadly. I still maintain that signing Ireland whilst we had no manager was the worst decision ever made under the Lerner regime. Yes, even worse then THAT decision!

I agree, but that's because I didn't want him in the first place. But plenty were very happy when he signed, I remember more than saying we had the better end of the deal, and that we'd got such a good deal that we'd mugged City blind. So hard to say it was a terrible decision.

put my hands up,
 I was one of them, I really rated Ireland at City and thought he would be great for us, just shows how wrong you can be
in mitigation i didn't want N'zogbia, so in my own tiny little mind i;m quits

[nigel]

Apparently he's spent the last 3 months looking for a new club and the financial people are looking to buy out his contract.
Don't know how true, though.

[damon loves JT]

I was excited when we signed him, and there is still a footballer in there somewhere. But there's something not right in his head.

I predict he will have an Indian Summer somewhere like Barnsley in a year or so which will 'prove us all wrong' while proving precisely fuck all.